State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO
State Secretariat for Economic Affairs SECO
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Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
Château de la Muette, headquarter to the OECD, © OECD
What is the OECD?
- Established in 1961
- Headquartered in Paris
- 34 member countries
- Annual budget of EUR 328 million
- Secretariat staff 2,500
- 250 publications per year
OECD Member States, © OECD
- 72% of the world's Gross National Income (GNI)
- 61% of world trade
- 18% of the world population
- 95% of global public development assistance
- 46% of global CO2 emissions
What does the OECD do?
The mission of the OECD is to help its member countries to:
- Support sustainable economic growth
- Boost employment
- Raise living standards
- Maintain financial stability
- Assist other countries' economic development
- Contribute to growth in world trade
How does the OECD work?
The governments of member countries meet regularly in committees to :
- Compare experiences ("peer reviews")
- Seek solutions to common problems
- Identify good practices
- Develop international standards
- Coordinate their national and international policies
The OECD and its secretariat collect data, analyse and forecast economic and social trends and developments.
What benefits does the OECD offer Switzerland?
- International platform for advocating Switzerland's interests
- Opportunity to be involved in defining international standards
- Peer learning
- Arguments for structural reforms which are necessary but politically difficult
- Areas of particular interest: investment, competition, tax, development, health and innovation
The future of the OECD
- Status quo: risks losing influence and economic clout to new actors
- Aim: globalisation hub
- One candidate country for accession: Russia
- Enhanced engagement with the "global players" of tomorrow: Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa
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